Improved torpedo-boat



GEORGE M. RAMSAY,

PATENT OFFICE.d

or NEWYORK, N. Y.

IM PROVED TORPEDO-BOAT.

lSpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,300, dated August 8, 1565.

"To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEO. M. RAMSAY, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Torpedo-Boat; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification.

To enable those skilled in naval and submarine operations to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure 1 represents atop view of the torpedo. Fig. 2 represen ts a side view ofthe same. Fig. 3 represents a side view of a section of the bow of the' boat, including a side View of the arrangement hy which the torpedo is attached to the boat. Fig. 4 represents a side view of the boat. Fig. lrepresents a top view of the boat. Fig. 6 represents a perpendicular crosssection of the boat through its greatest trans-` verse diameter.

Like letters refer to like parts in each figure.

The torpedo-boat is made sharp at bow and stern, as represented in Fig. 5, with a gradually-increasing ellipsis from bow and stern until its greatest cross-section is reached, at about two-thirds its whole length from the bow, as seen in cross-section, Fig. 6. The whole boat is constructed like or similar to a boiler in workmanship, with the ends ot' all the laps of the iron plates forming the joints looking backward, so as to allow the boat to glide through the water with less resistance than when the laps of the joints are made in thereverse direction.

A represents the roof of the boat, inclined `from the chimney B to the water-line C. This inclination is for the purpose of enabling the forward part of the boat to run under logs, rafts, or other ioatin g obstructions which may be found placed around (bythe enemy) for the protection of the vessel desired to be destroyed from the assault of the torpedo-boat.

D is the hatch-door through which the boat is entered.

E represents a hole through the boat at or below the water-line G. The hole E is made below the water-line C to keep the roofA clear of all impediments. The hole E is fitted with a pipe or tube, riveted at each end, same as a boiler-tube, to prevent the water from entering the boat.

lm, Figs. 3 and 5, represents a forked `iron bar, which is attached to the boat on each side by a bolt through the hole E.

fn, Figs. 3 and 4, represents a ratch made in the bow of the boat, in which the pawl P is made to operate.

O represents a submarine boom, at the eX- treme end of which is to be attachedthe submarine torpedo represented in Figs. l and 2, hereinafter explained. The rear end of the boom O is attached by a joint to the bar on, while the hinder end ot O extends back a few inches to receive the paw] P, which is also attached by ajoint.

ro', Fig. 7 ,represent two arms, one on each side of the boat, and is made to clasp the boat. The forward ends of 'r r are bolted or welded fast on each side of m, and also bolted or welded fast together immediately in front ofthe ratch or bow of the boat and behind the pawl P. These arms are for the double purpose of `preventing lateral motion to the harm; also, to support the bar m in proper position as the pawl P is raised or lowered in the ratch n, whereby the end 'of the boom O, to which the torpedo is to be attached, is raised or lowered to any desired position under or abovethewater.

S represents a spring b v which the pawl P is kept in proper place.

t represents a man-h ole through which to enter the forward part of the boat, and should be water-proof'. i

a, Figs. l and 2, represents the magazine and body of the submarine torpedo `with conical ends.

b represents a water-tight tube, whichruns through the center of the torpedo `and is open at each end, into which andthrough which the extreme end'of boom O is thrust, by which means the torpedo is attached. c represents a division at the base of the rear cone, and divides the entire interior of the torpedo from the rear cone.

The boom O is supposed to be of sufficient length to prevent injury to the torpedo-boat when explosion of the torpedo takes place.

d represents a lock attached to the tube b,

and connecting with the tube e, which tube e enters the powder-chamber in c. An ordinary pistol may answer the purpose of d and e.

f represents an iron rod, made to enter the tube g and to pass into and through the powder-chamber and through the division c at the base ot' the rear cone. Through the rear end of this rod fis a transverse pin, h. The eX- ternal and front end otthis rod j" is laid with steel, the center of which is hollowed out on the end so as to form an edge-like gouge all around to better prevent the end from gliding on the surface ot' any object it may come in conta-ct with.

i represents a gutta-percha tube of proper size and length to fit and stretch tight over the tube g and the rodf, leaving a few inches of the front end ot the rod exposed. This gutta-percha is to prevent water from entering the torpedo; also to allow the rod f to slide back when pressure is made on the front end ot f, and thuscausc the pin h to trip the cock ot' lock d and thus explode a cap. The same office of the gutta-percba may be performed by a stutting-box, but is not so simple, cheap, or effective.

,k represents an opening through which the powder is put into the torpedo.

Z represents a hand-hole through which the lock d is reached, for the purpose ot' supplying a cap when required.

The openings k and l may be madc watertight by a cover and 'gutta-percha packing or equivalent devices.

For better security the gutta-percha may be wrapped with wire or thread, and the pin h may be made to trip two cocks at the same in'- stan t, which is easily attached to each side of b.

Having explained the construction of myinvention, the operation consists in properly attaching and adjusting the bar m and pawl P, together with the boom O, to the bow of the boat. The pin t had better be withdrawn for security. rJjhe cap is thensupplied to the lock d. The torpedo is then filled with powder or other explosive material, except the rear cone, in which the lock d is situated. The pin It is then replaced and the openings k and l are made secure against the entrance ot water, and the torpedo is slipped on the extreme end of the boom O and secured, when the boom is let down into the water (by properly adjusting the pawl Pl below the surt'accsutticient to strike the enemys vessel as near the keel as possible. All being thus made ready, the torpedo-boat is driven by steam or otherwise against the enemys vessel, and the instant the iron rod f strikes the vessel the rodfis driven back and the pin h trips the cock ot' lock d, bursting` the cap, and the result is instant explosion. The

bolt that attaches m to E or m to 0 should 'I be wood, or of such strength and material as to merely carry the torpedo and withstand the concussion necessary to drive the rod fsufcient to operate the lock d and yet bc easily detached by the recoil of the explosion. The arms 'r r may each be made a ratch, and each itted with a pawl and a staple to keep each close to the sides of the boat, and made concentric with E, and should bejointed at m when thus made, thus dispensing with a and P, as shown. Again, the attachment at E may be rigid, the arms r r same as shown, Figs. 3 and 7, the pawl P and ratch n dispensed with,and substitute a ratchet-wheel made on the end of O at the joint uniting m and O, and fitted with a pawl. This plan I deem more simple than the former, or the ratch u may be made in the rear edge ot' m, and the pawl P reversed.

Having fully explained the construction and operation of myinvention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The inclination ofthe roof A of a torpedoboat, as and for the purposes specied.

2. The hole E,constructedand situated sub stantially as described.

3. The ratch n, in combination with the pawl P, bar m, and boom O, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The springs s, in combination with the bar m, substantially as specified.

5. The bars r r, in combination with the bar m, as and for the purpose specitied.

6. Thetube b,runninglongitudinallythrough the torpedo, substantially as and t'or'the purpose specified.

7. The division c, separating the magazine of the torpedo from the lock d, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

S. The lock d, in combination with the powder-tube e, substantially as and l'or the purpose specified.

9. The rod f, also in combination with the tube g and guttapercha tube t', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

l0. The pin It, in combination with'the lock d and rodf, substantially as and for the purpose specitied. 11. The hand-hole c, through which the cap is applied to the lock d, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

GEO. M. RAMSAY. Witnesses A. MOORE, JN0. D. PATTEN. 

